I'll Hold You Tight
by JSBashir2341
Summary: this started as just a little fluffy drabble that popped into my head after watching The Low Low Price Job. contains episode content plus thoughts and actions that are all my own. first fic ever! a couple lovely readers requested more, so I'll attempt to oblige. rated T for now for a couple mild curse words.
1. Chapter 1

"Alright, Eliot, stay on plan. We're not done yet."

_Eliot ignored Nate's voice in his ear as he let the anger simmer in his chest. Then he abruptly turned on his heel and stalked off in the direction of the breakroom._

"Eliot?"

_As he aproached the break room, Eliot thought about Martin. If he had been allowed to take his break and eat something, he and Eliot would still be stocking shelves right now, but instead that puny, smug supervisor had exploited a kind, hard-working, honest man, like his dad. Sometimes, he wished he had stayed at the hardware store, ended up more like his old man, never seen and done the things he had. But then he'd shake it off and remind himself that you couldn't change the past, only the future. It was one of the reasons he worked with Nate and the crew, to help good, salt-of-the earth people like his dad. But he'd be damned if he was gonna just sit back and let some corporate asshole push those people around. Not on his watch._

_He entered the break room silently and saw Brian leaning into the refrigerator. By the time he looked up, Eliot was right beside him, waiting, in his most intimidating pose: firm stance, arms crossed to subtly expose their girth. He knew just how to deal with this._

_The kid looked him up and down and scoffed._

"Seriously? You're not gonna tuck in your shirt?"

_Oh how he wanted to punch this kid in the mouth. But he knew that wouldn't accomplish anything except allowing him to vent his own annoyance._

"You made him work through his break again, didn't you?"

_The kid frowned a little then._

"What, the old-timer? He'll be fine."

_Eliot started to circle around, to pin the boy between himself and the vending machine, but also to open up his eyeline to the door. Always vigilant._

"We got a problem here, buddy?"

"Brian, you're a bully. You know how much I'd love to tear your arm off and feed it to you right now?"

_At that, Brian started to get scared, wondering if this guy was insane enough to do what he was threatening._

"But you see, that would make me a bully too. You see my dilemma?"

_Brian reached out an arm to fend Eliot off, perhaps foolishly thinking for a moment that he could take Eliot. That was all the hitter needed to spring into action. He grabbed Brian's arm, pulled it out behind him, twisted, and pushed the boy's face into the vending machine, all in no more than two seconds._

"Brian, I want you to listen to me and I want you to try to understand."

"I can't feel my arm."

"I know. The only reason I'm not throwin you into this soda machine is because Martin wouldn't want me to do it. You see, Martin is a good neighbor. You? You're not."

_Eliot released Brian's head and then threw down his arm and backed up just a bit, freeing Brian. Giving him a chance._

"You crazy bastard. You're fired."

_Eliot said nothing, only took a couple steps towards Brian, backing him against the vending machine, never breaking eye contact. Then, with just the hint of a smirk, he turned and walked away without looking back. Never look back._

_After exiting the break room, he spied Parker at the end of the aisle across from him, her blonde hair glowing dimly under the flourescent lights. They looked directly at each other as he continued to walk straight toward her, never hesitating. As he got close, he started to say something, to explain why he'd just ignored Nate and gone off like that, but he should've known better. He never had to explain anything to Parker. One look into his eyes and she knew everything she needed to, so she simply opened her arms to him._

"Come 'ere, baby."

_And he enveloped her petite frame in his strong arms as she clung to him and for a moment, they were safe. It wasn't much, but it was a comfort she could easily give him, so she did, whenever she knew he was struggling with something. The fact that being in his arms was her favorite place to be had nothing to do with it, or so she kept telling herself. She tried not to think about it much. No matter what her feelings were for him, she knew how he felt about romantic entanglements, so she kept her feelings to herself. She figured he probably knew though. They rarely needed words to communicate. Just one of the things she loved about him._

_The gruff hitter didn't like to admit it to himself, but sometimes it was impossible to ignore, like now, as he held her tight to his chest. The lithe little thief had stolen his heart. She made him smile, his twenty pounds of crazy in five pound bag. Not his, he reminded himself. His best friend's. Hardison's. He could never forget that, no matter how much he might want to stay like this with her forever. All he could ever have were these brief encounters, these blips in time, where no one else existed but the two of them. They could never last._


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: disclaimer-please don't text and drive. only superhuman, hyper aware/dexterous, fictional characters can pull it off. be safe out there, friends!**

* * *

_He'd been thinking about his dad so much during the Value More job, about growing up in Oklahoma, about the night he left. And after his conversation with Hardison, he'd decided that maybe it was time to go back. Maybe enough time had passed to forgive old injuries, to let sleeping dogs lie, as the saying went. If he was completely honest with himself, Eliot had been thinking about going home for a year or so now. This last job, meeting Martin…it was just the push he'd needed. So he'd told Nate there was something he needed to take care of and he'd be gone for a week. Nate gave him the time off without a word, just a nod._

_So Eliot had packed up his old truck and taken off for Sooner country. Somewhere in Idaho (or was it Utah?), his phone buzzed._

Text from Parker: You're not here. I brought cookies.

_Eliot sighed, but couldn't help the small smile that crept onto his face. He was about to reply when a second text came in._

Text from Parker: Nate says you won't be back for a week. I'll miss you.

_Parker sat in the hallway of Eliot's apartment building with her back against his door, a bag of cut-and-bake chocolate chip cookies beside her, her phone in her hand. She knew Eliot had been especially bothered by their last job and cookies always made her feel better. So she'd brought some over. It was also an excuse to spend some alone time with Eliot. Plus she knew he'd share the cookies with her. But he was gone and he wasn't coming back for seven whole days. When she'd heard that, she'd plopped down onto the floor, as close as she could get to being inside without actually climbing in a window, which she considered. Normally, she wouldn't have gone to the door, but with his mind on other things, she didn't want to surprise Eliot. Turned out it didn't matter. And now she was just sitting there thinking. And eating the cookie dough. Couldn't let them go to waste._

Text from Eliot: Parker...

_She smiled. She could just hear him growling at her now. "Don't touch that, Parker." "Please, Parker, you're going to burn down my apartment." "For the love of God, woman, hold still!" She pictured his glowing blue eyes piercing into hers: in anger, in guilt, in sadness, in regret, in pride, in frustration (that one was almost constant between them), and every once in a while shining with something she couldn't quite place, but it was always accompanied by the smile he reserved only for her. That smile was one of her favorite sights in the world. She loved it almost as much as the Cairo Museum floor plan. She pondered that for a moment. The museum might be second._

Text from Eliot: I'll be back before you know it, darlin'.

_She popped another square of cookie dough into her mouth as her smile widened. She loved the way he said "darlin'."_

Text from Eliot: Just please don't use the stove. Or the oven. Or the microwave. And don't touch my knives.

_Parker giggled at that last message. And then she tore off another chunk of cookie dough and let out a sigh. She missed him already._

Text from Eliot: I mean it, Parker!

_At that, she outright laughed out loud. The guy waiting for the elevator at the end of the hall turned and looked at her warily. She ignored him. She got that look a lot._

Text from Parker: Alright! I promise. Now stop texting and driving!

_Eliot scoffed at this as he sped across the plains. (Maybe it was Wyoming? It didn't really matter. He knew where he was going.) There was nothing even remotely near him: no cars, no towns, no houses, not even cattle. He was pretty sure he wasn't going to hit anything. Besides, the thought that he wasn't completely aware of his surroundings at all times was ridiculous. Nevertheless, he took her advice and put the phone back in the cupholder beside him. A few minutes passed, but the scenery didn't change. Another buzz._

Text from Parker: Eliot?

Text from Eliot: Yes, Parker?

Text from Parker: Did you crash?

Text from Eliot: No, Parker. Everything's fine.

Text from Parker: Oh. Ok good.

Text from Parker: Have a good time.

Text from Parker: Come back safe.

Text from Parker: And soon.

_Parker stood up, brushed her hands across her jeans, picked up the now empty bag and started to put her phone into her jacket pocket when it buzzed one more time._

Text from Eliot: Always.


	3. Chapter 3

_****_**AN: short, I know, but this is just a wrap-up of the events of the episode. there's more to come!**

* * *

_After 28 hours of driving (he'd pulled over to sleep a couple of times, but he didn't need too much), Eliot stopped at the gas station on the oustskirts of his hometown. He filled up the truck and picked up a six-pack of his dad's favorite. As he climbed back into the truck, he smiled to himself. The closer he got, the more he realized he was really looking forward to spending some time with his dad. They had a lot of catching up to do._

_He drove slowly down the long, winding driveway. Ahead, he could see the ranch-style house getting nearer and nearer. He started to wonder how his dad would react when he opened the door to see Eliot standing on the stoop. He was sure the old man would have quite a few things to say. Eliot parked in front of the garage doors, walked around the front of the truck, and grabbed the six-pack from the passenger seat through the open window. As he approached the door, he noticed that everything looked exactly the same as the last time he'd seen it, right down to the windchime. He smiled. Home at last. He hesitated at the door for just a moment before knocking. He waited, then knocked again._

"Dad?"

_When there was no answer, Eliot put the six-pack down on the stoop and turned around to look out over the yard for what he knew would be the last time. Obviously, it hadn't been long enough for his dad to forgive and forget. He felt himself choke up as he thought of all the years he'd spent running around that lawn. He'd really hoped to have more time there. For what felt like the millionth time, he wished things were different, that he could change the past. No, he reminded himself, as he took a deep breath, he couldn't change what had happened, he could only go forward. He still had a family waiting for him in Portland. They were his future. Nate, Sophie, Hardison, and her. Parker. It __**was**__ time to go home, he decided. And with that thought, he turned and walked back down the sidewalk, got back into his truck, and turned back toward Oregon. _


	4. Chapter 4

_Parker was having a great dream. She was sitting at the island in Eliot's kitchen, contently watching him make dinner. It smelled heavenly and she was getting hungrier by the minute, and not only for chili. She loved watching Eliot cook. His movements were effortless and his face was at peace. As he finished chopping the cilantro, he looked up to find her staring. He smirked._

_"See something you like?" he asked with a wink._

_"Yeah. Can I have a taste?"_

_Eliot laid down the knife and leaned across the island towards her. She leaned in, closed her eyes, and…_

"What the hell, Parker?"

_She opened her eyes to find Eliot standing over her with his arms crossed, glaring. But that couldn't be right. Eliot was in Oklahoma. Wasn't he?_

"Eliot? What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? This is **my** bedroom in **my** apartment. What are you doing here?"

_Ok, thought Parker, fair question. What was she doing there? The truth was that she'd been sleeping there for the past 4 nights. The first night she told herself she was just making sure no one tried to break in. She knew thieves better than any security ever could. The second night she decided she was "house sitting," if house sitting meant watering his plants, eating his leftovers, watching his big screen tv, and sleeping in his bed. The third night she was supposed to meet Hardison. She had cancelled. That was when she was forced to admit to herself that she just liked being there. It made her feel closer to Eliot. Even though he wasn't there, she could see him making the meals that were now her microwaved dinners and she could smell him on the sheets. All snuggled in at night, surrounded by that scent, was the safest she'd ever felt. She slept like a baby there. She never wanted to leave. She'd thought that she'd have a couple more days to figure all of this out, but here he was, waiting for an answer. What in the world was she doing? She sat up, swinging her feet to the floor, and put her face in her hands._

"I…I don't know, Eliot. You weren't here and I watered your plants and it's warm and smells like you and I was tired and…"

"Whoa, ok Parker, slow down." Eliot sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It's ok. I'm not mad at you. It's just been a long day and I'm tired."

_Parker took a moment to really look at Eliot. He did not look good. He looked exhausted and…sad. Sadder than he'd looked since she asked him what he did when he worked for Moreau. _

"Eliot, is everything ok?"

_She looked at him just like she had that day and like then, like always, he couldn't lie to her. But he was so tired. It could wait a few hours._

"Parker… This is my side."

"I can stay?"

_She tried not to sound too excited, but she couldn't help it. What was wrong with her?_

_Eliot nodded._

"Now scoot over.

_Parker practically somersaulted over to the far side of the bed and then held up the blanket for Eliot to slide under. He toed off his shoes and slipped in beside her. She smiled at him and rolled over to face the window._

"Oh and Parker? No squirming."

_Her smile widened and as she drifted back to sleep she felt Eliot's strong arm fall across her stomach, holding her close, better than any dream._


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: surprise! here's an extra chapter, because I don't know when I'll be able to post again in the next week and a half. 3 days of class left and then finals! my last undergraduate semester ever is almost over! thank you all for your kind words of encouragement and love. you're too kind.**

* * *

_Parker awoke to find her face snugly against Eliot's chest, his arms around her back, holding her tight. She breathed in deeply, inhaling that strong, uniquely Eliot smell that was some cross between dark chocolate and musk. She looked up and was surprised to find Eliot's eyes still shut firmly in sleep. She knew how little sleep he usually got. He must've had a really rough time of it. Come to think of it, why was he back 3 days early? She'd looked it up after he left and had found it was a 28 hour drive from Portland to Eliot's hometown in Oklahoma. Doing the math in her head, that meant he had spent a grand total of…practically nothing actually there. Ohhhhh no. No wonder, he'd been on edge. There was only one explanation for his short stay: his dad hadn't wanted to see him. If he had seen him, even if his dad was still mad, he and Eliot would've at least had it out and that would've taken time. Her poor Eliot. She knew what it was like to feel alone. She also remembered when Archie had introduced her to his "real" family as his daughter. Sometimes "real" families weren't as good as the ones you make for yourself. If Eliot's dad didn't want him, that was his loss. Eliot was in her family now and she would do anything to make him feel better right now. Cookies wouldn't be enough. She'd have to think of something bigger. As she thought, she started to fidget. Soon she heard a low growl above her head._

"I thought I said no squirming."

"Eliot?"

"Shhh. One more minute."

_She tried to stay still, but she really had to talk to him. She wriggled out of his strong grasp so she could look into his eyes._

"Eliot, I'm sorry."

_He let out a deep sigh and rested his forehead against hers._

"No reason for you to be sorry, darlin'."

"I wanna help you feel better."

_At that, he smiled. _

"You are helping."

_He was lying in his bed with an angel: a crazy, law-breaking, sugar-addicted, ADHD, angel. And as she lay there in his arms, smiling up at him with that heart-breaking look she had, he brought his left hand up to cup her right cheek and, without thinking, leaned in and kissed her. And, damn it, once he'd started he didn't want to stop. _

_He was kissing her. This was happening. She was lying in his bed at 7:30 in the morning and he was kissing her and she was kissing him back, because she'd been wanting to kiss him for, well pretty much always, and at that moment, she couldn't think of a single reason why she hadn't been kissing him for years. Until she heard a loud persistent buzzing on the nightstand behind Eliot. _

"Crap. That's my phone."

_He rolled over and picked up Parker's phone, looking at the screen. _

Call from Hardison

"Shit."

_He passed the phone to Parker._

"Oh God. Eliot, I…"

"Go."

"But I'm…"

"Just go, Parker. Please."

_He couldn't even look at her; he just sat on the side of the bed with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands and begged her to leave him alone. What had he done? He'd kissed his best friend's girlfriend after he let her sleep in his bed with him half the night, that's what he'd done. Oh he was in deep, buddy. Without looking up, he knew she was still there, staring at him like he'd kicked a puppy. And still without looking, he knew when her hurt turned to anger and she stormed out. And even after she'd gone he didn't move for over thirty minutes before grabbing some clean clothes and heading to the gym. He needed to punch things._


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: my lovely readers, a million thank yous for your patience! busy time for me, but doing my best to keep writing! I'm incorporating a little time jump in this paragraph, delineated with the dashes, to add a little extra suspense/drama. hooray! more will be revealed in Chapter 7, but no idea when I'll be able to get that to you. my apologies for that. luckily, tonight's episode provided some lovely inspiration. yes, I totally stole a line and used it in a different context. beautiful work by the show writers on that one. also, anyone else catch the look between Parker and Eliot when Sophie asks her if she's ok? just me? ok then... anyway, without further delay, here is Chapter 6 of "I'll Hold You Tight." I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

_Eliot spent half the morning pounding the stuffing out of an unsuspecting punching bag when the person he really wanted to hit was himself. Maybe that would snap him out of whatever weird sentimental funk he'd somehow gotten himself into. He'd certainly been lining himself up for some emotional beatings recently. Earlier, when he'd seen Hardison's name on Parker's phone screen, it had all hit him at once and he felt his control slipping away. He couldn't let that happen, so he'd pushed Parker as far away as he could. This was why he avoided serious romantic entanglements: they were messy and people got hurt. That was unacceptable, especially when those people were himself, Hardison, and Parker. He was responsible for hurting Parker and that was the worst of it all. He was supposed to protect her; above everything else, that was his job. Now, one moment of weakness and he'd failed. This couldn't happen again. Moments of weakness were not an option. _

"Which answer gets you down here with me?"

_Sitting on the roof of the bar with his legs hanging over the side, Eliot turned to see Parker looking up at him. He turned back to look out across the rooftops of Portland._

"It's not that simple, Parker."

_Of course, she'd known he'd be up here thinking (more like brooding, she thought). She'd been doing a lot of thinking too._

"But it is that simple, Eliot. It's your life; it's your choice."

"Hardison is our teammate and my best friend. I can't."

_Parker sighed. She was starting to get frustrated. Why did the man have to be so stubborn?_

"Yes, you can, Eliot. You can; you just won't."

_At this, he turned around, swung his legs back onto the roof, stood, came toward her, and started to speak. She held up her hand to stop him._

"Just let me talk for a minute, ok? Eliot, I know you. I know that you're stubborn and self-sacrificing. I know that you can say more with your eyes than most people can with their words. know that you're strong, the strongest man I've ever known, but I also know that your heart is gentle. I know that you can be hurt. I know that you tell me that I'm crazy, but you always try to help me, even when I bug you while you're busy. I know that you challenge me. I know that you know me better than Nate or Sophie or Hardison ever will, because I know how alike you and I are. And I know that you love me, even if you never say it out loud. So I'll say it. I love you, Eliot."

_He couldn't say anything, but at least he was looking at her. Staring at her, really. There were so many things he wanted to say, and even more than that, he wanted to kiss her again. But this time, he only clenched his fists at his sides and looked her in the eyes, hard._

"You know I'll always be here, Eliot, just like I know you'll always be there when I need you. You catch me when I fall and when I jump. You hold me when I'm sad. Let me do that for you."

_She looked into his eyes and she felt herself falling into his gaze. Be strong, she reminded herself. She turned and headed back to the door that led to the stairs._

"I choose you, Eliot."

_And he just kept staring as the last glimpse of her, her jaunty ponytail, disappeared down the steps._


	7. Chapter 7

__**AN: hello again, faithful readers! again, I greatly appreciate your patience with me during my exam period. 2 more to go and then I'll be done with undergrad! here's chapter 7. can't wait to hear your thoughts.**

_He wouldn't let her finish and he wouldn't even look at her. Damn him, Parker thought. Why wouldn't he just listen? Well if that's the way you want it, baby, then that's the way it's gonna be. She grabbed her jacket off the chair by the bedroom door and strode out, slamming the front door behind her as she answered her still buzzing phone. She really did not want to talk to Hardison right now, but she had to, and not just because if she didn't answer, he'd turn on her GPS tracker._

"What, Hardison?"

"Whoa there, pretty lady, somone put some extra attitude in your Fruit Loops this morning?"

"I just…" _She sighed._ "Sorry. What's up?" _She tried to sound cheerful._

"That's more like it! I was hoping we could hang out today. I've barely seen you this week."  
_She was about to say no, but she thought for a second about everything that had happened and then replied. _

"Actually, that's a good idea. Wanna meet me for doughnuts?"

_She could practically hear Hardison's face lighting up through the phone._

"That sounds perfect, babe. See you soon."

* * *

_Parker didn't know much about breaking up with someone, so she'd just tried to explain to Hardison that while she was very fond of pretzels, they didn't whet her appetite like they used to. Now she was looking for something more substantial than a snack food, something like a burger or a steak. She wasn't really sure what type of food to compare Eliot to. His kiss had tasted more like chocolate or spice, but that was something Hardison definitely didn't need to know. When Hardison realized that Parker was breaking up with him, he did his best to brush it off, but he couldn't hide the hurt in his eyes. She assured him that she wasn't going anywhere, wasn't leaving the team, was still his friend, but she never said a word about Eliot. She didn't know if there was anything to tell. She hoped there would be, someday. She was going to do her damndest to convince Eliot to give it a shot, at least. She wanted to watch him cook, listen to him sing, and wake up safe in his arms every morning. She wanted to see that look in his eyes, the look that saw nothing but her. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted to always be the one who held him tight, because she was the only one who could see when he needed it. And she needed him, she'd realized. Needed him in an almost painful way that she'd never needed anyone before. Parker had seen the fickleness of fate; she knew how quickly someone could just be gone. So she'd fight for Eliot. With everything she had._

__**AN (part 2): I bloody hate breaking up with people, especially when that person is more emotionally invested in the relationship and you sincerely want to keep being friends, because you inevitably break their heart a little and that look is about the most painful look in the world to be on the receiving end of. true life: the first time I broke up with someone I was so anxious and upset about hurting him that the emotional stress weakened my immune system and I got the flu. only time I've had the flu in the last 10 years or so. anyway, I tried to go easy on Hardison, but sorry if there's not enough detail for your liking in that particular section. use your imaginations. much love to you all.**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: My dear readers, I feel terrible for my treatment of you this week, but I'm horribly blocked on this chapter! So frustrating! Here's hoping the Christmas episode is full of inspiration. Until that lovely inspiration strikes, I present a half completed chapter (perhaps consider it a transition chapter?), with my love and gratitude for your enduring patience. - J.**

"And I know that you love me, even if you never say it out loud. So I'll say it. I love you, Eliot."

_Those words echoed in Eliot's ears long after Parker had gone. He should have said he loved her, because he did love her, damnit. He adored her. _

"I choose you, Eliot."

_Neither of them might have realized it at the time, but she'd been chosing him in little ways for years: leaning on him, asking him for help and advice, jumping into his arms. He wished he had said something, anything really. But he had kept his mouth shut, because he couldn't stop thinking about Hardison. What was he going to tell Hardison? The more he thought about it, the more agitated he became. Nate came up to get him for their client meeting and found him pacing across the roof._

"Eliot? You ready?"

"What? Oh, yeah. Right behind you, Nate."

"You sure? Wanna talk about this first?"

"Nothin' to talk about. Really."

_Nate nodded._

"Alright then."

_Nate turned back towards the stairs. Over his shoulder, he added:_

"If I may make a suggestion, I find people are always more receptive after they've eaten a good meal. Less energy to be angry."

_And with that, Nate disappeared down the stairs. As Eliot followed him, he thought about Nate's advice. Maybe a dinner would be just the thing. _


	9. Chapter 9

_The team sat around the bar, sharing Christmas memories, or as Sophie called it "giving each other some trust for Christmas."After several rounds, Nate and Sophie disappeared, leaving Eliot with a bottle of bourbon, a very cheery Parker and a very subdued Hardison. Great. As if this night wasn't uncomfortable enough already. As Parker rambled on about elves or reindeer or whatever, Eliot turned to look at Hardison. Alec was nodding along with Parker, but he wasn't really listening. He was staring down at the bar, deep in thought. Maybe now was as good a time as any. There wasn't a gourmet meal, but there was booze. Eliot took a deep breath. Now or never, he thought._

"Hey, man. You wanna talk?" _Eliot whispered._

_Hardison looked up at Eliot and then over at Parker, who had gotten up and was singing loudly and fiddling with the decorations._

"Yeah, actually. Can I have a drink first?"

_Eliot passed him the bottle. Alec took a quick drink and coughed._

"Thanks, bro."

_Hardison looked back over at Parker as she flitted around the bar._

"You know she broke up with me?"

_Eliot nodded._

"You know why?"

_Eliot picked up the bottle and nodded again._

"I figured."

_Alec took the bottle from Eliot and took another quick drink._

"You actually like this stuff?"

_Eliot just smiled as Hardison shook his head in disbelief. They both sat without speaking for a minute, watching Parker as she danced about in her own little world, singing about snowmen._

"You know," _Hardison continued suddenly, _"I really think I could've loved that girl. She could've been the one for me."

"I know."

_Alec turned to face Eliot and looked at him hard for a long moment. Then he turned away and sort of nodded to himself. Neither of them said anything for another minute. Eliot really started to wonder what Hardison was thinking. What was with the staring and nodding? Maybe it was just the bourbon, Eliot thought, as he watched Hardison take a third swig. After all, it wasn't Hardison's drink of choice. The man was 50% orange soda. Alec abruptly stood up._

"Then, buddy, you better never let her go."

_And without turning back, he trudged towards the back to take solace in his giant computer screens, taking Eliot's bourbon with him._

* * *

**AN: changed my mind and put that last paragraph in the next chapter, which is now completed! As always, endless thanks for your support. - J.**


	10. Chapter 10

_So Eliot found himself alone in the bar with Parker on Christmas Eve. He sat there still staring in the direction Hardison had abruptly left, contemplating the strange conversation they'd just had. Eliot supposed he could take his friend's last comment as a sort of permission or blessing. He didn't have much time to think it over though, because after a minute or two Parker flopped down into the stool Hardison had only recently vacated and promptly fitted a Santa hat onto Eliot's head._

"Parker…" _Eliot growled as the little white pom on the ridiculous hat fell into his eyeline. _

_Parker giggled. _"Oh come on, Eliot. It's Christmas."

_And she looked at him with eyes full of innocence and glee and instead of ripping the hat off and tossing it across the bar, he simply adjusted it to keep it out of his face. Out of sight, out of mind he reasoned. So he started again._

"Parker, I… I mean, Hardison and I, uh…"

"Ooo can I guess? Ok you and Hardison are… starting a band. No, you're…" _She paused as Eliot held up his right hand while running his left back through his hair. _"Sorry. You and Hardison, what?"

_Eliot couldn't help but smile as he sighed and tried to find the right words. Why was he at such a loss for what to say? This was Parker. But that was the problem, of course. This was Parker, sensitive, beautiful, crazy, wonderful Parker, who had stolen his heart when he thought it was locked away forever. He looked up to see her waiting expectantly, fidgeting on her stool a bit, and he decided it was difficult because it mattered. Because she mattered. So he reached out and took one of her hands in his._

"Parker, I choose you too."


End file.
